Timing of the arrival of Australia's Aborigines will forever remain undefined. Estimates range anywhere from some 30,000 to 68,000 years BC !!! The enormity of this expanse in time is barely comprehensible and yet, within a few short decades of the arrival of the European to settle their great island home during the late 1700's to mid 1800's, Australia's Aborigines would experience a decline that pushed them to near extinction. Their plight continues to this very day as they battle for their ancient way of life, their land, their culture...

Having satisfied myself of the great Probability of a passage, thro’ which I intend going with the Ship, and therefore may land no more upon this Eastern coast of New Holland, and on the Western side I can make no new discovery, the honour of which belongs to the Dutch Navigators, but the Eastern Coast from the latitude of 38 degrees South down to this place, I am confident, was never seen or Visited by any European before us; and notwithstanding I had in the Name of his Majesty taken possession of several places upon this Coast, I now once More hoisted English Colours, and in the Name of His Majesty King George the Third took possession of the whole Eastern coast from the above latitude down to this place by the Name of New Wales, together with all the Bays, Harbours, Rivers, and Islands, situated upon the said Coast; after which we fired 3 Volleys of small Arms, which were answer’d by the like number from the Ship - Captain James Cook - 22 Aug 1770...

It was not until January 1788 that the claim was officially sealed with the rising of the British flag at Sydney Cove, on the 26th January 1788 (since celebrated as Australia Day), by the first Governor of New South Wales, Arthur Phillip under his appointment as...

The first European settlement of Van Diemen's Land was by the British at Risdon Cove in 1803, when a party, lead by Lieutenant John Bowen, was sent from Sydney to deter the French from claiming the island in 1803...